Category — d. Where to Stay at Walt Disney World

OVERVIEW: DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

In July 2017 Disney’s Wilderness Lodge completed a major refurb.  Half of its rooms–those in the southeast wing–were converted into Copper Creek Villas. The old quiet pool was completely redone into the delightful new Boulder Ridge Cove pool. The old quick service, Roaring Fork, was refurbed, and a new counter service option and bar, Geyser Point, opened.

The overall impact is that the Wilderness Lodge, already a great option, gained upgraded and additional amenities, but lost capacity–so fewer people are using the better amenities. In other words, it’s an even better choice than before.

Details follow…

Our most recent stay (our twelfth here–four in the main Lodge, six at Boulder Ridge, and two in Copper Creek) in July 2017 confirms that Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the second best deluxe resort at Disney World for first time family visitors.

You can have a wonderful visit at any Walt Disney World resort hotel.

However, this site recommends that first time visitors to Walt Disney World who can afford it should stay at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, a deluxe resort, and that those who can’t should stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value resort.

(It also suggests that first time visitors should avoid the moderate resorts, while noting that these resorts are wonderful for visits after the first. See this for why.)

Compared to other Walt Disney World owned and operated resorts, the deluxe resorts are distinguished by having (on average) the most amenities, nicest views, best dining options, best transport options, largest rooms, best service, and highest prices.

Among the deluxe resorts, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge stands out for having the most stunning kid appeal, moderate convenience, smallest rooms, and lowest prices.

(See this for much more on resort distinctions by price class–value, moderate, deluxe, etc.)

In addition to the standard accommodations in the northwest wing of the Wilderness Lodge, the Wilderness Lodge also has additional room types in the two Disney Vacation Club offerings associated with it–Copper Creek Villas in the southeast wing of the main Lodge, and Boulder Ridge Villas in its own building outside Copper Creek. These areas are available to anyone to rent–you don’t have to be a member of the Vacation Club. These Villas have their own detailed reviews, at the links.

This review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has seven pages:

• This page, a summary review
• Theming and accommodations at the Wilderness Lodge
• A photo tour of a standard room at the Wilderness Lodge
• Amenities at the Wilderness Lodge
• The main Copper Creek Springs pool at the Wilderness Lodge
• The new Boulder Ridge Cove pool at the Wilderness Lodge
• Dining at the Wilderness Lodge

ACCOMMODATIONS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

Standard rooms at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are tied with those at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge as the smallest deluxe rooms on property.

The bedroom component of these rooms is smaller than even those at the moderate resorts, being almost a foot narrower and, on the long side, 2.5 feet shorter. See this for more on comparative Disney resort room sizes.

Most of these rooms sleep four–two each in two queens.  Rooms with a queen and two bunk beds are also available.  The bunk bed mattresses are 5’9″ long, and 39″ wide.  (In real life they are not so blurry.) Rooms with one king bed are also available.

You can add to this capacity of four a child younger than three who sleeps in a crib.  A crib fits well between the closet and TV credenza.

Partly because of these room sizes, and partly because it is not directly accessible from a theme park, the Wilderness Lodge is also typically the least expensive of the deluxe resorts.

For more on accommodations at the Lodge, see this, and for a photo tour of a standard room, see this.

(The Copper Creek Villas and Boulder Ridge Villas at the Wilderness Lodge are reviewed separately.)

THE POOLS AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

The main Copper Creek Springs pool at the Wilderness Lodge was refurbed in 2014 and remains one of the most delightful pools at Disney World. (It was renamed in 2017, from “Silver Creek Springs.”) For more on the Copper Creek Springs pool, see this.

The second pool re-opened in July 2017. Now named Boulder Ridge Cove pool, it has been transformed into a delightful themed space that adults will particularly like. For more on the Boulder Ridge Cove pool, see this.

DINING AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

The Wilderness Lodge has four or four and a half principal dining venues that collectively make it above average among the Disney deluxes for dining.

• Whispering Canyon Cafe is a raucous and fun setting for family dining
• The more sophisticated and expensive Artist’s Point is perfect for couples dining
• The old quick-service option, Roaring Fork, has been renovated, and remains among the best of its kind among the deluxes, but can easily become over-pressed
• The new Geyser Point combines an upscale waterside bar with new quick service options, one set from the bar menu and one set from a walk-up window, that’s particularly convenient to both pools

There’s also easy access via a boat to more great dining options at the Contemporary Resort and Fort Wilderness.

For more on dining at the Wilderness Lodge, see this.

KID APPEAL AND CONVENIENCE AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

Resorts are ranked on this site for first time visitors based first on their kid appeal, and then on their convenience.

On this basis, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is the second-best resort for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World.

Kid Appeal.

• Three of the deluxe resorts–the Wilderness Lodge itself, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Polynesian Resort, in that order–have spectacular kid appeal.
• None of the moderates do.
• All of the value resorts–Disney’s All-Star Sports, All-Star Music, and All-Star Movies, and its Pop Century Resort and Art of Animation Resort–have strong kid appeal.

The kid appeal of the Wilderness Lodge comes from its stunning re-creation of the grandeur of America’s great national park lodges–both inside…

…and outside.

Other wonderful elements both big and small continue the theme of the mountain west and of other western national parks, with some elements recalling the Pacific Northwest.

This is Lewis and Clark country, of great drama, history–and adventure!

The main building and lobby of the Wilderness Lodge–modeled on the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone National Park, and featuring totem poles from Duane Pasco–set the stage.  This lobby is jaw-dropping to kids, and also to most adults.

Convenience. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is much less convenient than the Polynesian Resort in carrying out the itineraries for first-time family visitors on this site.

Transport to the Magic Kingdom is by boat and by bus. The buses begin earlier, and are more reliable for scooters and wheelchairs–not all boats can take these.

Transport to the other theme parks is by bus, each of which is shared by at least one other resort.

Boat service is also available to Fort Wilderness (convenient for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue) and the Contemporary Resort (convenient for Chef Mickey’s). These boats begin much earlier than the Magic Kingdom boats, so many families seeking an early start take the boat to the Contemporary, and then walk to the Magic Kingdom.

BEST PLACES TO STAY AT THE WILDERNESS LODGE

 This site suggests that first time visitors stay in standard rooms, not preferred rooms.

This is because they won’t be spending much time in their rooms.

The single exception is visitors to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, who should always pay for savanna views.

On the map, the Lodge is the green-roofed connected set of six to seven story high buildings, in a “Y” (or “U”) shape.

The main lodge buildings are in the upper left northwest wing of the Lodge. The new Copper Creek Villas are in the southeast wing.  The  Boulder Ridge Villas  are in the separate orange-roofed building.

More so than most Disney resorts, there are no bad rooms at the Wilderness Lodge.

Those furthest from the main lobby, restaurants, and bus stops are closest to the pools, Geyser Point, and boat dock to the Magic Kingdom, and vice-versa.

Disney is currently booking two room types–Courtyard views and Standard views.

Courtyard view rooms look into the middle area of the Lodge–overlooking either the Copper Creek Springs pool, the stream and waterfall that leads to it, or Bay Lake itself. The opening of the “Y” (or “U”!) as it approaches the pool means pool noise tends not to be an issue, and noise surprisingly isn’t really as much of a problem as you’d think for the rooms that open onto the main lobby.

Standard view room overlook anything else–but because so many trees were cut down on the northwest side of the Lodge for the Cascade Cabins here…

…a vast number of them now have truncated and distant views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Truncated and distant means this is no substitute for seeing these fireworks in the park…but it is pretty cool!

However, not all standard rooms have this view–some are too low, some blocked by trees, and some are just unlucky…

So pick the view you want–or hope for–most, and request an upper floor room (quieter, and better views).

BEST FOR:

Any first time family visitors who can afford it, but can’t get into or can’t afford Disney’s Polynesian Resort.

WORST FOR:

Families too large to fit its 4 person rooms.   See this for more on large families at Walt Disney World.

THEMING AND ACCOMMODATIONS AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

This review continues here.

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(For the first page of this review of the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian, click here.)

PHOTO TOUR OF A TWO-BEDROOM VILLA AT THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA

You can see the basics of all three of the most common room types at the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa from a Two-Bedroom Villa.

This is because a Two-Bedroom Villa combines

• The master bedroom (left on the floor plan above) and combined kitchen/dining/living space (center) of a One-Bedroom Villa…
• …with a second bedroom very similar to a Studio (right).

In some cases the room similar to a Studio actually is a Studio, connected to the space that’s otherwise a One-Bedroom Villa via a locking connecting door–these are called “lock-offs.”

In others, the space was designed from the start as a Two-Bedroom–these are sometimes called “Dedicated Two-Bedroom Villas,” and so the layout of the second bedroom is slightly different than that of a Studio.

Both my stays at the Villas at the Grand Floridian were in dedicated Two Bedrooms, so all the photos are of a “second bedroom,” not a studio. I’ll comment on the differences between the second bedroom and the Studio as I go.  I haven’t stayed yet in a pure studio, so these comments come from studying the studio floor plans, plus some of the comments I’ve gotten since my original review of these spaces.

I’ll start with the second bedroom/studio, go from there to the master bedroom, and finish the photo tour in the combined kitchen/dining/living space.

PHOTO TOUR OF THE SECOND BEDROOM/STUDIO IN THE VILLAS AT THE GRAND FLORIDIAN

In dedicated two bedrooms, the second bedroom is accessed from the main entry hall of the villa. On the floor plan, this image is from the entry , turned right toward the hall that leads to the second bedroom. Studios connect to lock-off One Bedroom from the same spot.

As you go down this hall, on one side you’ll find a desk. In the studios, you’ll find here instead an entry door to the main public corridor.

Beyond at an angle is another hallway leading back to the bedroom area, with the closet on one side and the bath on the other.

On one side of the hallway is the divided bath. One part of the divided bath has the typical toilet and tub/shower combo.

There’s a couple of innovations here.

First, instead of one bath space being entered from the other, there’s two doors to the hallway–one to the toilet/tub shown above, and the other to the other part of the bath. These two spaces are also connected internally by yet a third door, so these spaces are remarkably flexible.

The other innovation is that the other part of the bath has not only a sink, as is typical…

…but also a second shower, which is not. These are the most well-appointed and flexible baths you’ll find in a Studio or second bedroom except in the Studios at the Polynesian Village.

Back in the hall, on the other side from the baths in a dedicated two bedroom you’ll find a large closet–above is the half closer to the entry…

…and here’s the second half.

In Studios–and thus in lock-off Two-Bedrooms–things are a little different here.

Instead of the second closet area, you’ll find here a microwave, mini-fridge, and another sink. So families staying in a Studio or lockoff do get the second sink back that’s not in the bath–and those staying in a dedicated Two Bedroom can always send the kids (or dad…) to brush their teeth at the kitchen sink!

Further back in the main part of the room, you’ll find in the dedicated Two Bedrooms two queen beds on one side.

The beds from the back of the room.

A closer view of one of the queens.

In Studios and lockoffs, the further bed is replaced by a couch that folds out into a queen. The couch adds flexibility…but the regular bed is more comfortable.

A bedside table adds two small storage drawers.

On the opposite side of the room you’ll find a small table and chairs and an object with a TV on top.

The TV side of the room from the back.

The table and chairs are nothing special…

…but the object holding the TV is.

In the dedicated two bedrooms, you’ll find here 6 really large and deep drawers.

In the Studios and lock-offs, instead you’ll find under the TV a fold-down Murphy bed. I measured the same bed from the living room of my villa as 72 inches by 32 inches. A standard twin is bigger than this, and although there’s 77 inches clear between the framing elements, I found at my own 71+” that the bed did not work well for me.

Cushioning was fine–I measured the cushion as being more than 5 and a half inches deep.  Rather, the issue was my feet hanging off the end and banging into the bed framework. I suspect, though, that this bed will be just fine for anyone 5’6″ or shorter…

Because of the Murphy Bed, these studios sleep five.

Moreover, because the lockoffs have two of these Murphy Beds (one in the Studio/second bedroom, one in the living room) you have ten sleeping spots in 6 individual beds, really adding flexibility to sleeping arrangements.

On the other hand, a Studio has only half the closet space as the Two-Bedroom of a dedicated unit. Some of the drawer space lost from the Murphy Bed is made up for in Studios by drawers built into the frame of the queen bed.

The final component of these rooms is the full-width balcony. (That’s not me; it’s Josh from easyWDW, who came by to check out my digs.  You can tell it’s him because he’s funny, and I’m not.)

Dedicated units have a single long balcony covering all bays of the villa; lockoffs have a separation between the Studio and other balconies.

THE LIVING/DINING/KITCHEN SPACE IN THE VILLAS AT THE GRAND FLORIDIAN

This review continues here.

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OVERVIEW: THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (a Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) resort paired with the Grand Floridian, one of the Monorail resorts) is a wonderful place for returning visitors to Walt Disney World to stay, and for many room types is the most livable and flexible of the DVC resorts.

For typical first-time visitors, I don’t recommend the Disney Vacation Club resorts.

That said, these “DVC” resorts can be a great choice for first time visitors with large families, needing extra sleeping spaces, or looking for a more comfortable place to stay.

Among the Disney Vacation Club resorts, the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa ranks fifth overall for first-time visitors, and is particularly strong for quality of dining, compactness, convenience to the Magic Kingdom, and very livable rooms.

THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA AND THE DISNEY VACATION CLUB RESORTS

[Read more →]

This review of the pros and cons of the Disney Deluxe Resorts is the third entry in a new series highlighting the pros and cons of every Walt Disney World resort.

(The first entry, which explains the background, is here; the second, with the pros and cons of the Disney Vacation Club resorts, is here.)

The deluxe resorts are Disney flagship resorts, with–usually–nicer and larger rooms, more amenities, better service, much better dining, and more fun transportation than other resort classes.

Normal people consider that there are eight such resorts.  But I’ve also included, at the end, pros and cons of studios in two more–Saratoga Springs and Old Key West. Between them, these two Disney Vacation Club/”Disney Deluxe Villa” resorts have almost seven hundred studio rooms, and are legit alternatives to consider for some–but study the cons of these two carefully.

The material that follows covers only standard rooms–it excludes variants such as suites, deluxe rooms, Garden Cottages, Garden Wing rooms, dormer rooms, etc.  See the individual hotel reviews for more on these variants.

Because I’ve stayed in every single Disney World resort hotel for multiple nights in the past four years, usually more than once, you will find fewer errors of fact, and far fewer questionable judgments, here than you’ll see in other sources written by people who have not actually stayed in the hotels…

…But I’m sure there are errors, omissions and points of disagreement here anyway!  So leave your thoughts/corrections/disagreements in the comment section below!

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

Pros

• Spectacular theming with great kid appeal
• Unique views of animals
• Great dining options, running the gamut from exotic to cheeseburgers
• Spa services
• Among the lower-cost deluxe resorts
• No convention center
• Full-width balconies
• Bunk-bed rooms available
• DVC studios available

Cons

• Among the least convenient of the deluxe resorts
• Among the smallest deluxe rooms
• Poor access to off-grounds dining unless you have a car
• No character meals or distinctively fun dining offerings
• Only deluxe resort with buses as sole transport option
• No marina
• Rooms fit only 4
• Only deluxe other than Old Key West not on a lake

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT

Pros

• Very easy access to Epcot via walking; Hollywood Studios accessible through a longer boat ride or walk
• Access to many nearby table service restaurants, even more if you have tickets for Epcot
• Character breakfast
• Shares great pool with Yacht Club
• DVC studios available

Cons

• No distinctive theming or particular kid appeal—though lovely to the eyes of adults
• Many rooms have tiny, near-worthless balconies (others have full balconies)
• No real counter-service offering
• No spa services

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S BOARDWALK INN

Pros

• Easy access to Epcot via boat or walking; Hollywood Studios accessible through a longer boat ride or walk
• Access to many nearby table service restaurants, even more if you have tickets for Epcot
• The BoardWalk itself is kinda fun
• Unique among deluxes for bustle of Boardwalk and quiet of inner courtyards
• Some rooms can see bits of Illuminations
• DVC studios available
• Spa services

Cons

• No distinctive theming or particular kid appeal
• Inconvenient parking
• No real counter-service offering
• No character meals or other fun dining.  Closest restaurants not really aimed at kids
• BoardWalk-view rooms can be noisy
• No marina
• Some rooms require walking outdoors to get to lobby

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S CONTEMPORARY RESORT

Pros

• Second-most convenient of the Disney resorts—only one from which you can walk to the Magic Kingdom
• Monorail resort
• Monorail running through Tower a thrill to many kids
• Among the largest deluxe rooms
• Great and wide-ranging dining; easy access to even more dining options via boat and monorail
• Character meals
• High-rise architecture makes it more compact than other deluxe options
• DVC studios available
• Spa services
• Full-width balconies
• Widest range of water-sports
• Views of Wishes from many rooms, restaurant, 4th floor deck

Cons

• No real theming or distinctive kid appeal
• Among the highest-cost deluxe resorts
• Dull pool
• While baths are split, the split is not best arranged for families

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT AND SPA

Pros

• Monorail resort
• Wonderful dining for adults, and easy access via monorail to more great choices for both adults and kids
• Largest standard deluxe rooms (at the Polynesian, Tokelau rooms are larger)
• Character meals
• Good convenience for Magic Kingdom
• Lovely to adults
• Great spa
• Full-width balconies
• Distant views of Wishes from some rooms, waterfront
• DVC studios available

Cons

• Limited distinctive kid appeal—though lovely to adults
• The best dining options aren’t really aimed at kids
• Highest prices
• Distant parking
• Most rooms require walking outdoors to get to lobby

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S POLYNESIAN RESORT

Pros

• Among the highest in kid appeal
• Monorail resort
• Most convenient resort for trips focused on Magic Kingdom and Epcot
• Among the largest deluxe rooms
• Well-loved dining, with easy access to more options via the monorail
• Character meals
• No convention center
• Distant view of Wishes from some rooms, waterfront

Cons

• Second floor rooms in most longhouses have no balcony
• Among the highest-cost deluxe resorts
• Baths are one space–not split into two
• Rooms require walking outdoors to get to lobby/central services
• Some rooms quite distant from lobby
• No spa services (can walk to spa at Grand Floridian)
• No hot tub
• Construction from 2013 on may include closure of main pool for refurb
• Construction from 2013 on may restrict access to path to TTC

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

Pros

• Most spectacular and kid-appealing theming of all the Disney World resorts
• Reasonably convenient for the Magic Kingdom
• Great and fun on-site dining, and easy boat access to more great dining at the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness.
• Spa services
• Among the lowest-cost deluxe resorts
• No convention center
• Full-width balconies
• DVC studios available

Cons

• No character meals
• Among the smallest deluxe rooms
• Rooms fit only 4

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S YACHT CLUB RESORT

Pros

• Easy access to Epcot via boat; Hollywood Studios accessible through a longer boat ride or walk
• Access to many nearby table service restaurants, even more if you have tickets for Epcot
• Shares great pool with Beach Club
• Full-width balconies

Cons

• No distinctive theming or particular kid appeal—after Contemporary, dullest of the deluxes
• No real counter-service offering
• No spa services

PROS AND CONS OF STUDIO ROOMS IN DISNEY’S OLD KEY WEST RESORT

Pros

• Among the largest deluxe rooms
• Easy parking
• Reliably good views from rooms
• On-site marina
• Among the lowest-cost deluxe rooms–even better if you rent points
• No convention center

Cons

• Sprawling and distinctly inconvenient if you don’t have a car
• Theming, for kids, is unremarkable
• Weak and limited on-resort dining, with no great access to alternatives unless you have a car
• Rooms fit only 4
• No character meals or other distinctly fun dining
• Most buildings have no elevators—only buildings 62, 63 and 64 have elevators
• No spa services
• Requires outdoor walks to get to lobby/central services
• Many rooms quite distant from lobby
• With Animal Kingdom Lodge, only deluxe not on a lake

PROS AND CONS OF STUDIO ROOMS IN DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT AND SPA, MAIN RESORT

Pros

• Easy parking
• Consistently good view from rooms
• Some areas have easy access to Downtown Disney
• Great spa
• Great pool
• Among the lowest-cost deluxe rooms–even better if you rent points
• Not popular, so easy to reserve
• No convention center

Cons

• Rooms among the smallest deluxe options
• Sprawling and distinctly inconvenient if you don’t have a car
• Theming, for kids, is unremarkable
• Weak and limited on-resort dining, with no great access to alternatives (other than Downtown Disney) unless you have a car
• Rooms fit only 4
• No character meals or other distinctly fun dining
• No marina
• Outdoor walks to get to lobby/central services
• Many rooms quite distant from lobby

MY TOP DELUXE RESORTS FOR FIRST TIME FAMILY VISITORS

The top deluxes for first-time family visitors are, in order, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.  Returning visitors often like the convenience of the Epcot resorts, of which Disney’s Beach Club Resort is the best choice.

This review of the pros and cons of the Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) resorts is the second entry in a new series highlighting the pros and cons of every Walt Disney World resort.

(The first entry, which explains the background, is here.)

The Disney Vacation Club resorts (sometimes called Disney Deluxe Villas–which I ignore, as many of the rooms in them aren’t villas) are time share resorts that are also available to the general public to rent just like any other hotel room–or for points.

There’s four basic room types–Studios, One-Bedroom Villas, Two Bedroom Villas, and Grand Villas–and eight Disney Vacation Club resorts, which I typical count as ten because of some key differences at two of them.

The material below first does the pros and cons of the Disney Vacation Club resorts themselves.  It’s followed by pros and cons by room type.   For more on the resorts themselves, click the links. And for a basic overview of the DVC rooms types, see this.

Because I’ve stayed in every single Disney World resort hotel for multiple nights in the past four years, usually more than once,  you will find fewer errors of fact, and far fewer questionable judgments, here than you’ll see in other sources written by people who have not actually stayed in the hotels…

…But I’m sure there are errors, omissions and points of disagreement here anyway!  So leave your thoughts/corrections/disagreements in the comment section below!

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM VILLAS, JAMBO HOUSE

(Located within Jambo House; excludes the various “value” studios and villas)

Pros

• Spectacular theming with great kid appeal
• Unique views of animals
• Great dining options, running the gamut from exotic to cheeseburgers
• More livable than some of the other smaller-roomed DVC resorts
• Only DVC resort with concierge DVC rooms (but they are just about impossible to get…)
• Spa services

Cons

• Among the least convenient of the DVC resorts
• Poor access to off-grounds dining unless you have a car
• No character meals or distinctively fun dining offerings
• Smallish rooms, except for Grand Villas
• No marina

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM VILLAS, KIDANI VILLAGE

(Paired with Jambo House)

Pros

• Nice theming—spectacular if you also spend time in nearby Jambo House
• Unique views of animals
• Among the more livable DVC rooms
• Fairly convenient parking
• Own very nice pool and workout room
• Wonderful restaurant on site, access to other great dining venues at Jambo House
• Spa services

Cons

• Some distance from Jambo House, meaning access to Jambo House restaurants, pool, etc. can be a hike, especially if dining there—e.g. at its counter service (no counter service at Kidani)—is frequent
• Rooms are quite spread out down long undulating halls, with no real shortcuts
• Among the least convenient of the DVC resorts
• Poor access to off-grounds dining unless you have a car
• No character meals or distinctively fun dining offerings
• No marina

PROS AND CONS OF BAY LAKE TOWER AT DISNEY’S CONTEMPORARY RESORT

(Paired with Disney’s Contemporary Resort)

Pros

• Most convenient of the DVC resorts—only one from which you can walk to the Magic Kingdom
• Monorail resort
• Monorail running through sister Contemporary Resort a thrill to many kids
• Great and wide-ranging dining in the Contemporary; easy access to even more dining options via boat and monorail
• Character meals
• Most room types—but not studios—have very livable floor plans
• Nice pool, reserved for Bay Lake Tower guests
• High-rise architecture makes it more compact than most DVC options
• Spa services

Cons

• Smallish rooms
• No real theming or distinctive kid appeal

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB VILLAS

(Paired with Disney’s Beach Club Resort)

Pros

• Very easy access to Epcot via boat or walking; Hollywood Studios accessible through a longer boat ride or walk
• Access to many nearby table service restaurants, even more if you have tickets for Epcot
• Character breakfast
• One of the most compact DVC resorts
• Shares great pool with Beach Club and Yacht Club guests

Cons

• No distinctive theming or particular kid appeal—though they are lovely to the eyes of adults
• No real counter-service offering
• Rooms on the small side
• No Grand Villas
• No spa services

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S BOARDWALK VILLAS

(Paired with Disney’s BoardWalk Inn)

Pros

• Easy access to Epcot via boat or walking; Hollywood Studios accessible through a longer boat ride or walk
• Access to many nearby table service restaurants, even more if you have tickets for Epcot
• The BoardWalk itself is kinda fun
• Spa services

Cons

• No distinctive theming or particular kid appeal
• Among the more sprawling DVC resorts
• Inconvenient parking
• No real counter-service offering
• No character meals or other fun dining.  Closest restaurants not really aimed at kids
• BoardWalk-view rooms can be noisy
• No marina

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S OLD KEY WEST RESORT

(Standalone resort)

Pros

• Largest and most livable rooms in every type except for Grand Villas
• Each room type is offered at the least expensive price among the DVC alternatives
• Great balconies, especially in one and two bedroom villas
• Easy parking
• Great views from rooms
• On-site marina

Cons

• Sprawling and distinctly inconvenient if you don’t have a car
• Theming, for kids, is unremarkable
• Weak and limited on-resort dining, with no great access to alternatives unless you have a car
• No character meals or other distinctly fun dining
• Most buildings have no elevators—only buildings 62, 63 and 64 have elevators
• Many buildings (numbered 30 and lower) are missing a door from the living area to the baths in the one and two bedroom villas
• No spa services

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT AND SPA, MAIN RESORT

(Stand-alone resort)

Pros

• Easy parking
• Great views from rooms
• Some areas have easy access to Downtown Disney
• Typically as inexpensive as any DVC offering
• Great spa
• Great pool
• Not popular, so easy to reserve

Cons

• Rooms are smallest or among the smallest DVC options (but see below for the Treehouses)
• Sprawling and distinctly inconvenient if you don’t have a car
• Theming, for kids, is unremarkable
• Weak and limited on-resort dining, with no great access to alternatives (other than Downtown Disney) unless you have a car
• No character meals or other distinctly fun dining
• No marina

PROS AND CONS OF DISNEY’S SARATOGA SPRINGS RESORT AND SPA, TREEHOUSES

(Part of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa)

Pros

• The only DVC space priced and sized like a Two-Bedroom Villa, but with three bedrooms—two with one queen each, and one with a pair of bunk beds
• Especially livable kitchen/living /dining area
• Sleeps 9
• Huge deck with charcoal grill
• Very quiet spaces
• Nice views, close to nature
• Unusual architecture
• (Hotel services pros as per Saratoga Springs main resort)

Cons

• Massively inconvenient in every dimension—don’t dream of staying here without a car, and don’t plan on using much of the Saratoga Springs amenities without a hike or a bus ride
• Unusual architecture
• Bunk beds in third bedroom are short, limiting the usability of the nine sleeping spaces
• (Hotel services cons as per Saratoga Springs main resort)

PROS AND CONS OF THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT AND SPA

(Paired with Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa)

Pros

• Most room types are the second largest on property, after Old Key West; Grand Villas are largest
• Distinctive floor plans—split shower and tub, and Murphy Bed for 5th occupant in Studios; dine-in kitchen in One and Two bedroom Villas, plus more Murphy Beds; media room in Grand Villas
• Higher end fixtures, furnishing and finishes than other DVC resorts
• Full balconies on every bay
• Monorail resort
• Access to wonderful dining at Grand Floridian and easy access via monorail to more
• Character meals
• Good convenience for Magic Kingdom
• Mary Poppins and Dumbo elements may enhance the otherwise weak Grand Floridian kid appeal
• Lovely to adults
• Most compact of the DVC resorts
• Great spa

Cons

• Limited distinctive kid appeal in the rest of the resort—though lovely to adults
• The best dining options aren’t really aimed at kids
• Highest prices
• A little distant from some Grand Floridian services—e.g. the boat dock.  Has its own check-in, however.
• Not many rooms, so hard to reserve

PROS AND CONS OF THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S WILDERNESS LODGE

(Paired with Disney’s Wilderness Lodge)

Pros

• Most spectacular and kid-appealing theming of all the Disney World resorts
• Reasonably convenient for the Magic Kingdom
• Studios one of only two (the other is Grand Floridian) that sleep 5 rather than 4
• Great and fun on-site dining, and easy boat access to more great dining at the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness.
• One of the most compact DVC options
• Spa services

Cons

• No Grand Villas
• Other DVC room types on the small end of the scale
• No character meals
• Small number of rooms and wildly popular, so hard to reserve

PROS AND CONS OF THE DVC STUDIOS

Most studios sleep 4 in a queen bed and on a fold-out couch.  The couch is both a pro and con—smaller and less comfortable than a queen, but creating a more flexible and livable room when not in use.

Pros:

• Best theming:  Wilderness Lodge, Jambo House, Kidani
• Sleeps 5: Villas at the Grand Floridian and Villas at the Wilderness Lodge, with the fifth on a Murphy Bed
• Two queens: Old Key West
• Largest: Old Key West, then Grand Floridian
• Least expensive:  Old Key West and Saratoga Springs
• Full-width balconies: AKL Jambo and Kidani Villages; Old Key West; Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian
• Separate tub and shower: Grand Floridian
• Most convenient: Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian

Cons

• Weakest theming: Bay Lake Tower
• Smallest—Bay Lake Tower
• Small:  Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge, Saratoga Springs,
• Small balconies: Beach Club, BoardWalk, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge
• No elevators: Old Key West
• Most expensive: Grand Floridian
• Least convenient:  Saratoga Springs, Old Key West

PROS AND CONS OF THE DVC ONE-BEDROOM VILLAS

The DVC One-Bedroom Villas typically sleep 4 on a king in a private bedroom and a fold-out couch in the living room, with one bath.  Exceptions are noted.

Pros:

• Best theming:  Wilderness Lodge, Jambo House, Kidani
• Sleeps five: Jambo, Kidani, Old Key West, Bay Lake Tower, and Grand Floridian. In all but GF, the fifth sleeping spot is a fold-out chair; at the Grand Floridian, the fifth is a murphy bed.
• Two bathrooms: Bay Lake Tower, Kidani
• Largest: Old Key West
• Large: Grand Floridian
• Best balcony, living room, kitchen, dining space: Old Key West
• Next best balcony, living room, kitchen, dining space: Kidani Village, Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian
• Least expensive: Old Key West, Saratoga Springs
• Most convenient: Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian

Cons

• Weakest theming: Bay Lake Tower
• Smallest: Saratoga Springs, Jambo House, Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge
• Smallest closet:  Saratoga Springs
• No elevators: Most Old Key West
• No door from living space to bath: Many Old Key West
• Small balconies: Beach Club, BoardWalk, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge
• Most expensive: Grand Floridian
• Least convenient:  Saratoga Springs, Old Key West

PROS AND CONS OF THE DVC TWO-BEDROOM VILLAS

The DVC Two-Bedroom Villas typically sleep 8 –two on a king in a private bedroom, 4 more in another space laid out like a studio, and 2 more on a fold-out couch in the living room–with two baths.  Exceptions are noted.

Pros:

• Best theming:  Wilderness Lodge, Jambo House, Kidani
• Sleeps nine: Jambo, Kidani, Old Key West, Bay Lake Tower, and Grand Floridian. In all but GF, the ninth sleeping spot is a fold-out chair in the living room; at the Grand Floridian, the ninth is a murphy bed, found in both the living room and the second bedroom
• Three bathrooms: Bay Lake Tower, Kidani
• Largest: Old Key West
• Large: Grand Floridian
• Best balcony, living room, kitchen, dining space: Old Key West
• Next best balcony, living room, kitchen, dining space: Kidani Village, Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian
• Least expensive: Old Key West, Saratoga Springs
• Most convenient: Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian

Cons

• Weakest theming: Bay Lake Tower
• Smallest: Beach Club, Saratoga Springs, Jambo House, Wilderness Lodge
• No elevators: Most Old Key West
• No door from living space to baths: Many Old Key West
• Small balconies: Beach Club, BoardWalk, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge
• Awkward access from second bedroom to living room: Wilderness Lodge, BoardWalk
• A little too small for families that need to use the fold out couch in the living room: Beach Club, Saratoga Springs, BoardWalk, Wilderness Lodge, Jambo House
• Most expensive: Grand Floridian
• Least convenient:  Saratoga Springs, Old Key West

PROS AND CONS OF THE DVC GRAND VILLAS

The Grand Villas typically occupy six bays and sleep 12 in two four person bedrooms with queen, a two person bedroom with a king, and one or more sofa beds. Most have four baths. Exceptions are noted. (There are no Grand Villas at Wilderness Lodge or Beach Club)

I have not stayed in a Grand Villa—when I do, I’ll be taking Flying Pigs Airline—so these observations are based on floor plans.

Pros

• Best theming: Jambo House, Kidani Village
• Largest: Grand Floridian
• Single level layout: Jambo, Grand Floridian, BoardWalk
• Dramatic two story living area that wastes living space: Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Bay Lake Tower, Kidani Village
• Really nice views from dramatic two story living area that wastes living space: Bay Lake Tower, Kidani Village
• Best overall use of space:  Grand Floridian
• Six bays of balconies: Jambo, BoardWalk
• Five bays of balconies: Kidani
• Least Expensive: Old Key West, Saratoga Springs
• Most convenient: Bay Lake Tower, Grand Floridian

Cons:

• Weakest theming: Bay Lake Tower
• Smallest: Saratoga Springs and Bay Lake Tower
• Three baths: Boardwalk Villas
• One balcony: Old Key West, Saratoga Springs
• No elevators: Most Old Key West
• Most expensive: Grand Floridian
• Least convenient:  Saratoga Springs, Old Key West

MY TOP DVC RANKINGS FOR FIRST TIME FAMILY VISITORS

My top two or three choices focus first on kid appeal, and then on convenience, and are listed in order:

• Studio rooms: Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Jambo House Villas, Kidani Village
• One-bedroom Villas: Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Kidani Village
• Two-bedroom Villas: for families that can fit into two queens in one bedroom and a king in a second, Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Jambo House Villas.  For families that can’t, and thus also need to use the sleeper sofa and/or sleeper chair in the combined living/dining/kitchen space, Kidani Village is the best of the DVC options
• Grand Villas: Jambo House, Kidani Village

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NEW SERIES: THE PROS AND CONS OF EVERY DISNEY WORLD HOTEL

I’ve launched a new series summarizing the pros and cons of all the Walt Disney World resort hotels, based on the 30+ reviews already published here.

• The first entry, on the Disney Vacation Club resorts, is here.
• The second, on the Disney World Deluxe resorts, is here.

When I started working on this site, I did not expect to become an expert on the Walt Disney World resort hotels.

But over the last four years, I’ve stayed for multiple nights in every Walt Disney World resort hotel, most multiple times.

And for the ones with significantly different room types–like the three major room variants at Port Orleans Riverside, or the two major DVC variants at the Animal Kingdom Lodge–well, I’ve stayed in all those too.

As a result, the readers of this site get perspectives into all the Disney World hotels from someone who can compare all of them directly based on recent deep personal experience. 

Moreover, because of this experience I get emails from people like Len Testa, who, after I suggested changes to the hotel material in The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, wrote to say “[Except for one] all of your other comments have been incorporated into the text.  Thanks for taking the time to do those.”

This direct, deep, complete personal experience with the Disney World resort hotels is rarer than you might think–as Julie Neal was kind enough to recognize in her The Complete Guide to Walt Disney World 2012 (copied above; when she wrote this, I was still using the pen name “David Hobart”)–because it takes a lot of time, and a lot of money.

(How the money works: you, the reader, find sponsors of the site that you like.  You do something with them. They send money. I spend the money going to Disney World to create and update the material.  I’m not sure where the time comes from…but more than 20 reviews have been published or updated based on stays in just the last 2 years.)

Elsewhere you will find people comparing hotels they have never stayed in, stayed in for just a night, or stayed in a decade ago.

Necessarily, these writers are cribbing their material from the thoughts of others, and all kinds of errors and poor judgment can emerge from not having the direct personal experience of recent stays of multiple days to use to filter this.

Insight doesn’t come from copying other people’s stuff…it comes from staying in all these hotels yourself!

Now don’t get me wrong–I too find great help elsewhere, I’m sure I repeat some errors I find, and I make my own errors!  But everything I find elsewhere is skeptically tested against my own personal experience, and I try to fix the errors when you point them out to me!

My Disney World hotel rankings are easy to find, and so are my Disney World hotel reviews.

But the rankings are terse, and the reviews typically long–I’ve got more than 30,000 words just on the Disney Vacation Club resorts, with more to come after my upcoming November visit to the Villas at the Grand Floridian!

So as a middle ground between these, I’m publishing a series on the pros and cons of every Walt Disney World resort hotel.

If you want to see the pros and cons of the Disney hotels from someone who has actually stayed in all these hotels, recently and for multiple nights…well,

• The first entry, on the Disney Vacation Club resorts, is here
  
• The second, on the Disney World Deluxe resorts, is here

and more are coming!

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